POPT: uma abordagem de ensino de programação orientada a problema e testes

There is a growing interest of the Computer Science education community for including testing concepts on introductory programming courses. Aiming at contributing to this issue, we introduce POPT, a Problem-Oriented Programming and Testing approach for Introductory Programming Courses. POPT main goal is to improve the traditional method of teaching introductory programming that concentrates mainly on implementation and neglects testing. POPT extends POP (Problem Oriented Programing) methodology proposed on the PhD Thesis of Andrea Mendonça (UFCG). In both methodologies POPT and POP, students skills in dealing with ill-defined problems must be developed since the first programming courses. In POPT however, students are stimulated to clarify ill-defined problem specifications, guided by de definition of test cases (in a table-like manner). This paper presents POPT, and TestBoot a tool developed to support the methodology. In order to evaluate the approach a case study and a controlled experiment (which adopted the Latin Square design) were performed. In an Introductory Programming course of Computer Science and Software Engineering Graduation Programs at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The study results have shown that, when compared to a Blind Testing approach, POPT stimulates the implementation of programs of better external quality the first program version submitted by POPT students passed in twice the number of test cases (professor-defined ones) when compared to non-POPT students. Moreover, POPT students submitted fewer program versions and spent more time to submit the first version to the automatic evaluation system, which lead us to think that POPT students are stimulated to think better about the solution they are implementing. The controlled experiment confirmed the influence of the proposed methodology on the quality of the code developed by POPT students

Possibilidades de enfoque CTS para o ensino superior de química: proposta de uma abordagem para ácidos e bases

Scientific education has been passing by redefinitions, contestations and new contributions from the research on science teaching. One contribution is the idea of science and technology literacy, allowing the citizens not only knowing science but also understand aspects on the construction and motivation of scientific and technological research. In accordance with this idea, there is the Science-Technology-Society (STS) studies which, since the 1970s, has been contributing for science teaching and learning according to the comprehension of the relationships with society in the Western countries of the North. In Brazil, this approach began to gain projection from the 1990s when the first essays on the theme were published. Currently, there is a clear influence of this approach on the national curriculum guidelines, especially for the area of Natural Sciences, and also on the textbooks chosen by the High School National Program (Programa Nacional do Ensino Médio). However, there seems to be a gap in relation to the discussion on the specific curricular component seen in college on this approach. Thus, this study aims at adopting the approach STS, face to the preparation of complimentary educational material on acid and bases concepts studied in the course of General Chemistry of the Natural Sciences graduation program. To this end, it was performed a bibliographical research aiming at making the state-of-the-art in in these concepts in specific literature to science teaching. It is divided in two stages: systematic study (with sixteen journals chosen according to Qualis-Capes and an unsystematic study with direct search in databases and references in the papers of the systematic study. The studies had their content analyzed and the categories chosen a priori were the level of education, the acid-base theory adopted, and the strategy/theoretical frame of reference adopted. A second stage aimed at identifying attitudes and beliefs on STS (Science-Technology-Society) and CSE (Chemistry-Society-Environment) of students in the teacher and technologist training course in three diferent institutions: UTFPR, UFRN and IFRN. In this study, it was used two questionnaires, composed of a Likert scale, semantic differential scale and open questions. The quantitative data reliability was estimated through Cronbach’s alpha method, and tha data were treated according to classic statistics, using the mean as the centrality measures, and the mean deviation as dispersion. The qualitative data were treated according to the content analysis with categories taken from the reading of answers. In the third stage, it was analyzed the presence of STS and CSE content in chapters on acid and bases concepts of nine General Chemistry textbooks, frequently used in graduation programs in public institutions of the state of Rio Grande do Norte. The results showed that there are few proposals of acid and bases teaching, and they are generally aimed at High School or at instrumentation for teaching courses, and no course for General Chemistry. The student’s attitudes and beliefs show the presence of a positivist point of view based on the concept of Science and Technology neutrality and the salvation of its mediation. The books analysis showed just a few content on STS and CSE are found in the studied chapters, and they are generally presented disjointedly in relation to the rest of the main text. In the end, as suggestion to solve the absence of proposals STS in General Chemistry books, as well as the student’s positivist attitudes, it was developed some educational material to be used in the course of General Chemistry at College. The material is structured to introduce a historical view of the concepts preparation, present the use of materials, the industrial and technological processes, and social and environmental consequences of this activities

Um Framework para criação de jogos voltados para o ensino de lógica de programação

Digital games have been used as aiding tool for transmission of knowledge, allowing faster dissemination of content. Using this strategy of disseminating logical reasoning development for basic school children can be the motivating gear that helps in the learning process for any area. In this context, many games can be created and provided for the use of teacher and student. However, the complexity of construction of these games becomes a obstacle which can, often, prevent their construction. Thus, this paper presents a framework for creating games, which teach programming logic, presenting from their conception to their integration with the visual programming environment (Blockly) and scenarios created in HTML5.

Aplicação da perlita expandida modificada com ortofenantrolina na remoção do negro de eriocromo T em águas residuais geradas em laboratórios de ensino de química

In this study, we carried out the study of Eriochrome black T removal using expanded perlite modified orthophenanthroline by adsorption technique. The study of the adsorption process was performed by investigating the effect of the initial dye concentration, contact time and pH range of the solution (acidic and alkaline) in the adsorption process, for a so-called synthetic effluent (aqueous solution of black eriochrome T) and a real effluent (generated from the test for determining the water hardness, by complexation titration). The materials were characterized by Thermogravimetry / Differential Thermal Analysis (TG / DTA), absorption spectroscopy in the infrared (IR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). By analysis of XRD observed thinking on orthophenanthroline the modified expanded perlite. And by IR analysis showed an increase in intensity and a detailed enlargement of the absorption band related to the axial deformation of the OH bond of silanol groups of perlite (Si-OH). In the equilibration time of the study, in the evaluated time range (5-230 min) was not possible to observe the existence of a balance of time, probably attributed to the type of interaction between the Eriochrome black-T and the expanded perlite modified orthophenanthroline, being an interaction of surface origin. In the study effect of the initial concentration of the adsorbate in the case 2,0x10-4 mol / L natural pH (pH 5) gave the highest removal percentage value of eriochrome T black color with 63.74 % removal in 20 minutes of contact. In evaluating the effect of varying the pH of Eriochrome black T solution in the adsorption process, it was found that the more acidic the environment, the greater the percentage stain removal, being a result of acid-base interaction between the adsorbate and the adsorbent. In T Eriochrome black removal study in real effluent we used the optimized conditions by studying with synthetic sewage. The dye removal at pH 10, natural pH of the effluent was no significant reaching the maximum amount of color removal percentage of 8.12%, obtained already at pH 3 with maximum color removal 100.00% of color, once more proving that eriochrome black T and effectively interact better with the adsorbent at acid pH values (pH 5 or 3), and most efficiently at pH 3. thus one can mention that the perlite expanded (an amorphous aluminosilicate naturally acid) modified with orthophenanthroline (one Bronsted base) consists of a master and effective removal of coloring material in the acid-type aqueous solution, the conditions expressed in this study, can be applied as an adsorbent of this dye also mums real effluent.

Dificuldades de aprendizagem do conteúdo de soluções: proposta de ensino contextualizada

The study of solutions is considered very important to chemist’s education because most of the chemical reactions occur in aqueous medium, being also required to understand other subject such as chemical changes, electrochemical and chemical balance. Nevertheless, it is noticed that many students indicate learning difficulties related to the content of solutions, how to pass among the macro-submicroscopic knowledge levels, and how to solve quantitative problems that demanding the establishment of a stoichiometric ratios. This thesis defended considers the use of contextualized teaching strategies about some subject associated to the study of solution, can foster student learning through reflection and understanding of their own difficulties, besides to provide motivation and active participation. The target group is formed by students of the undergraduate distance education with major in chemistry education of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), and they were chosen because this education system is expanding and its learning difficulties publications number is reduced as well. Thus, the first methodological stage was to identify the student’s main learning difficulties associated to the study of solutions through literature sources. Next, using an adapted script of the Plano Nacional do Livro Didático para o Ensino Médio (PNLEM, Textbook National Plan for High School), the approach of the content of solutions printed in educational materials used by the target group was analyzed. Afterward, a teaching unit was planned in the last methodological stage and, finally, a new teaching unite was given with a sequence of contextualized activities such as video presentation, dialogued lecture, questionnaires application, exercises, and an experiment, where the target group’s main difficulties related to learning of solution were identified. The participants of the teaching unit activities had some learning difficulties in understand concepts of compound, ion, charge, entropy and solubility, as well as to identify the ion charge, interpret statements, decode tables, use the chemical language, perform mathematical calculations and use concentration units, similar results raised in the literature sources. In order to work on these difficulties, these students were encouraged to expose, question and test their ideas about the phenomenon under study, allowing learn from their mistakes and reflect on the organization strategy of scientific explanatory models they use. Therefore, activities and information about learning difficulties presented in this thesis need to be critical reflection object, because it can help both students in the process of acquiring knowledge about the content of solutions and professors in the planning of their lessons.

Proposta de jogo químico como estratégia didática no ensino a distância abordando o conteúdo de estereoquímica

The educational games can act as a complementary tool in the teaching and learning as play an important role in the interaction of the student with knowledge, and encourage interrelationship between students and motivate them by the pursuit of knowledge. This research is intended to analyze the evidence of the students of distance education applied to semesters 2011.2 and 2012.2 for the purpose of to catalog the mistakes presented by the students, the contents of stereochemistry that attended the Chemistry of Life discipline. From the presented mistekes, develop an educational game, "walking the stereochemistry", addressing that content. The choice of stereochemistry content was due to the low number of found work in the literature, and for being one of organic chemistry content that generates learning difficulties, as it requires a mental visualization and manipulation of molecular structures, besides require observation and comparison ability by the students. The game was applied of Life Chemistry discipline of Nova Cruz Polo in semester 2013.2, with intention to verify the viability and applicability this tool for the development of motivation ability by the pursuit of knowledge by the students, as well as complement the didactical materials of the DE. Then, It was made available on the course page an opinion questionnaire to the participants of the game, as a way of to investigate the opinion their about the proposed strategy. To diagnose the contributions of the game on student learning, it was taken a comparative analysis of stereochemistry issues contained in didactic tests applied in 2013.2 semester students participating and not participating of the polo of Nova Cruz and was also compared with the tests applied at the poles of Extremoz, Currais Novos, Lajes and Caico. So the game can be considered an important resource to complement the teaching materials of distance education, because awoke the motivation for the search of knowledge and contributes to the learning of stereochemistry content.

A compreensão de reação química como um sistema complexo a partir da discussão dos erros e dificuldades de aprendizagem de estudantes do ensino médio

The study of chemical reactions is among the most important contents to the understanding of Chemistry discipline in basic education. However, there are still few studies about chemical reactions as a complex system because, generally, this content is presented in textbooks, taught and even researched in a fragmented form. The thesis here presented aims to investigate, identify and characterize the mistakes and learning difficulties of the students about chemical reactions as a complex system, using for that purpose the analysis of the answers of 126 exams of candidates for the bachelor’s degree in Chemistry Teaching on the entrance exam for the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). The mistakes and learning difficulties about the parameters ΔG°, Kp, Ea and of the calculation of the amount of substance in a chemical reaction have been identified, as well as the levels of development of the ability to interpret the chemical reaction as a system. The main theoretical source of this study is structured based on the mistakes and learning difficulties (NÚÑEZ, RAMALHO, 2012), of the chemical reactions as complex systems (NÚÑEZ, 1994; RESHETOVA, 1988; SANDERSON, 1968). As methodology, it was prioritized the analysis of the answers to the exams and the interview with the teachers. The results showed typical mistakes in the study of this subject, especially low levels and skill development. No student was able to integrate the different aspects in the systemic understanding of the chemical reaction. From the interviews with Chemistry teachers from High School, it was determined the reasons the teachers assign to those mistakes and learning difficulties. The interviews revealed that the teachers do not work in the perspective of integration of the contents which leads the students to present difficulties and make mistakes related to the content previously mentioned. The study presents a proposal for the organization of the contents of Chemistry discipline for High School as a possibility of a dialectic systemic integration of contents, understanding that this systematic vision, leads to important contributions to the development of the theoretical thinking of the students. We can mention as one of the conclusions of this study, the fact that the non-systemic organization of contents do not favor this kind of thinking in students.

A tabela periódica: um recurso para a inclusão de alunos deficientes visuais nas aulas de química

Nowadays there are many reasons that aim to include people with special necessities, like those with visual deficiency, in the world of work, education, and in the society as a whole. However it is observed that when we talk about schooling inclusion, especially in High School, there is a huge gap between the theory and the practice. The lack of didactic resources, the inadequate installations, unprepared teachers, the families´ lack of information, are some of the factors that hinder the process of inclusion. Furthermore, the educators also have to deal with the roughness of the disciplinary contents and, refering to the study of Chemistry, with the use of signals related to this subject´s language. So, the objective of our research is to reflect about the apprehension of this language by the visually handicapped people, and try to contribute with their process of inclusion in the school life. On this perspective we work with the Periodic Table, which constitutes one of the indispensable tools necessary to the Chemistry learning. In order to acomplish it, the way followed by us happened in three passages. Initially, by means of a semistructured interview, we tried to get acquainted with the blind students opinion, who were participating in the research about the Periodic Table used by them throughout High School, as well as the dificulties felt when using it. After getting the answers, the Table was reelaborated to fill those students´necessities. Here, two new Tables were designed, one in Braille which shape is more compacted, and another made with high printed dots, built with sand and glue. On the third moment, the new designed Tables were tested by the students and, by means of a semi-structured interview, we tried to identify if this new resource would solve the problems concerned to the old Table. The students showed that the compacted Tables would facilitate the touch reading of the chemical elements simbols, making it clear and fast. We hope that, with the elaboration of this learning tools we can contribute with one of the elements to favor the effective participation of blind students in Chemistry classes, when studying the Periodic Table

Aprendendo e ensinando o sistema de numeração decimal: uma contribuição à prática pedagógica do professor

The central question of the present study is to identify the epistemological knowledge that the teachers-trainees possess regarding the characteristics (properties) of the decimal numbering system; its purpose is to offer a contribution to the pedagogic practice of the teachers who work within the Basic Literacy Cycle, in terms of what concerns both the acquisition of contents and the development of the knowledge that helps them in the elaboration of adequate strategies to working with the Decimal Numbering System in the classroom. The study is based on the constructivist sociointeractionist approach to teaching Mathematics and it constitutes, in itself, a methodological intervention with the teachers-trainees engaged in the Professional Qualification Program in Basic Education of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. The foundations of the study were found in investigations of researchers who had carried out studies on the construction of numerical writing, showing, for instance, that the construction process of ideas and procedures involved in groupings and changes to base 10 take a lot longer to be accomplished than one can imagine. A set of activities was then elaborated which could not only contribute to the acquisition of contents but that could also make the teachers-trainees reflect upon their teaching practices in the classroom so that in this way they will be able to elaborate more consistent didactic approaches, taking into consideration the previous knowledge of the students and also some obstacles that often appear along the way. Even when teachers have access to the most appropriate dicactic resources, the lack of knowledge of the content and of the real meaning of that content make the Decimal Numbering System, a subject of fundamental importance, be taught most times in a mechanical way. The analisys of the discussions and behaviours of the teachers-trainees during the activities reavealed that they made them reflect upon their current practices in the classroom and that, as a whole, the aims of each of the activities carried out with the teachers-trainers were reached

Uma análise dos questionamentos dos alunos nas aulas de números complexos

This work presents a contribution for the studies reffering to the use of the History of Mathematics focusing on the improvement of the Teaching and Learning Process. It considers that the History of Matematics, as a way of giving meaning to the discipline and improve the quality of the Teaching and Learning Process. This research focuses on the questions of the students, classified in three categories of whys: the chronological, the logical and the pedagogical ones. Therefore, it is investigated the teaching of the Complex Numbers, from the questions of the students of the Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica do Rio Grande do Norte (Educational Institution of Professional and Technology Education from Rio Grande do Norte). The work has the following goals: To classify and to analyse the questions of the students about the Complex Numbers in the classes of second grade of the High School, and to collate with the pointed categories used by Jones; To disccus what are the possible guidings that teachers of Mathematics can give to these questions; To present the resources needed to give support to the teacher in all things involving the History of Mathematics. Finally, to present a bibliographic research, trying to reveal supporting material to the teacher, with contents that articulate the Teaching of Mathematics with the History of Mathematics. It was found that the questionings of the pupils reffers more to the pedagogical whys, and the didatic books little contemplate other aspects of the history and little say about the sprouting and the evolution of methods of calculations used by us as well

Reestruturação da disciplina "Física I" do Curso de Tecnólogo em Gerência de Obras de Edificações do CEFET/PB

The aim of the present paper is to reorganize a discipline on technological physics so that the construction site of civil engineering becomes a natural environment of learning, providing the learner with the association between theory and practice as well as allowing the subject to process, in real time, information generated from his cognitive constructions and his contextualizations. Thus, a sequence of actions was taken into account: firstly, the programme was developed in the classroom, sharing with its contextualized information through experiments done under supervision by the learners in laboratories; secondly, the data which associate physics with construction were collected and, to do so, technical visits to construction sites were realized, providing the learner the association between the theory and the practice in a suitable site to the constructivist approach. As a result, the first discipline on physics of the Curso de Tecnólogos em Gerência de Obras de Edificações do CEFET/PB was re-structured in terms of syllabus, methodology, application and evaluation. In fact, this work deals with a dynamic process that gathers and gives emphasis to teaching, learning, technology, information, creativity, competence and abilities in a constructivist learning process and, as a consequence, having allowed institutional engagement

A matemática sob a ótica do Tarô: Uma experiência com a educação de jovens e adultos

La recherche de la formation des citoyens critiques et participatifs, dans le travail pédagogique avec les jeunes et les adultes, a besoin d un entraînement pédagogique qui va au delà de l attitude traditionnelle d'apprendre avec des méthodes mécaniques et arbitraires qui, en insistant excessivement sur l image du professeur, donnent priorité à l'enseignement, au détriment de l apprentissage. Dans ce sens, la présente étude, cherchant la possibilité de réalisation d'un travail alternatif pour l'enseignement des Mathématiques, dans une perspective transdisciplinaire, dans le sens de développer l apprentissage significatif des étudiants jeunes et adultes du Projet Croire, présente les résultats d'une recherche-intervention qui a utilisé les lettres du tarot comme ressource didactique en salle de classe. On prétend, avec cela, montrer cet instrument comme facilité d apprentissage de contenus des Mathématiques comme systèmes de numération, nombres entiers et géométrie, en amenant les Mathématiques dans une perspective historique et culturelle et donnant un traitement global à l'acte complexe d'apprendre. Dans ce travail, le jeune étudiant et l étudiant adulte est pris comme individu concret, prenant en considération les aspects cognitifs et les aspects d attitude de son apprentissage, ce qui est favorisé par la nature des lettres du tarot et par la compréhension adoptée, des mathématiques comme système symbolique

Física no cotidiano: da cozinha para a sala de aula relato de uma experiência didática no município de Limoeiro do Norte (CE)

Brazilian high school teaching has passing through important changes. Based on current legislation and other official documents this research focus on the notion of contextualization, discussing the possibilities of a Physics teaching contextualized at a kitchen environment. Given the difficulties presented by students in establishing the relation between the contents discussed in classroom and their own daily lives, we propose the elaboration and application of a didactic unity. This started after the analyses of an initial questionnaire answered by the students. The didactic unity was elaborated based on an earlier proposal made by GREF (Physics Teaching Reelaboration Group) for a Thermal Physics course, and involved situations on students daily lives, in particular, those activities tried to relate formal contents discussed in classrooms to the kitchen environment. The didactic unity was applied to a public high school classroom at Limoeiro do Norte (CE). After evaluation of this experience it is possible to state that contextualization is a challenge that shall be faced, so that students may have a more critical look at physics, understanding that this subject is of relevance to all of us and is present in all world around us

Aplicações das atividades estruturadas de Skemp para a construção do conhecimento matemático

The present study constitutes a discussion about the application of Structured Activities to the construction of the mathematical knowledge, proposed by Richard Skemp. The discussion is based on the research that the author carried out in a public school of the state education chain buy using procedures of the research-action. It investigates the possibility of adoption of the proposal of Skemp in a new reality. It utilizes explanations from several theorists to understand the necessity and, at the same time, to enhance the efficiency of the referred activities in first grades of elementary school when students have their first mathematics teachings. It emphasizes the important rule of the teacher, as mediator to the mental constructions of the child. It presents considerations about the results achieved by the research, noticing the possibility of adoption of the studied proposal even though it is necessary an adjustment of the procedures to appropriate didactic-pedagogic requirements to the educational reality in which this project was done

As Concepções da mobilidade e acessibilidade urbana aplicadas à implementação do ensino de física: uma interface pedagógica para sedimentação de conhecimentos

Abstract:It boards a study about the methodology applied in the classroom, with emphasis at the Physic teaching, but could be taken to the other matters of high school, mainly to that alumns with school delay and that needs a pedagogics resources to get the aproach of them to the subject showed trying to improve their learnship. The study was developed through the bibliographic research methodology, associated to the induce resource that allows to evaluate the methods of teaching praticed actually at High Schools, as the private as the public, to give to the teachers the resources that should change the dificulties of learning with prejudice the classmates performances. The results reacheds demonstrated that is perfectly possible to augment the physic teaching body, taking in consideration the expansion of the profit at the teaching­learnig procces, besides having allowed to shows that this methodology porpouse could be takes to others subjects of the High School to became this phase of school more suitable to the necessities of society. It concludes that the brazilian Education could receive a lot of augments, from the professional criativity on always that inside the classroom, really close of the problems showed by the classmates about learning collecting